Spelt Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is one of those desserts that instantly brings back memories of my childhood. Soft and fluffy, topped with berries, baked for no good reason at all (like one needs a reason to bake a cake, but you know what I mean), and cooled upside down for what seemed to be the longest.time.ever in little kid minutes.

Multi-layered chocolate was the go-to that appeared at birthdays, but angel food was a cake my mother started baking when I was a baby to use up all the egg whites that collected in the freezer due to the raw egg yolks she used to put in my bottle. The consumption of egg yolks ceased around the time I started walking but the cake lived on.

Wait, wait, wait. Raw eggs in what?!

It was the 70’s, it was advice from my grandmother, and I’m still alive so let’s move on, shall we?

But before we move on, hello, hello and (because it’s not quite yet February and I haven’t talked to you yet this year so it’s totally acceptable) Happy New Year!

After a crazy few weeks — months? wait, what day is it? never mind, it doesn’t really matter –of shooting and styling and reading little other than other people’s recipes, it seems my head is so full of pictures that there’s no room for words.

Or at least a string of words anything longer than an Instagram post and perhaps a recipe headnote…there’s a distinct possibility this post began with that “hello, hello” until a recipe head note seemed to write itself to a length which demanded it be moved to the top and I discovered that after pounding out a tome about how I have no words I apparently had a few hiding away. But I digress.

Of course this apparent lack of words that means I have all sorts of pictures, and recipes, and pictures of said recipes, ready and waiting — yet I keep sitting on them in lieu of having little to write other than a list of ingredients.

So I’m once again giving myself permission to just post recipes and pictures and stop fretting about the fact that I used to tell stories.

And even if there’s nothing to say about said recipes other than this is good and you should make it and share it with the ones you love (or make it and keep it all for yourself, there’s no judgement here), that’s ok. And if you want more than that it may be best to come visit me over on Instagram or Facebook — apparently I’m pretty amusing there.

Oh, before I go, a few things I’ve seen lately that you may find interesting:

Spelt Angel Food Cake

Soft and fluffy, topped with berries or pretty much anything else you please, angel food is a perfect way to use up egg whites left behind from making lemon curd or custard or creme brulee or sponge cake. Of course it will also provide you with a perfect excuse to make those things simply to end up with egg whites for this cake.

In the interest of adding a slightly heathy angle to it all I’ve swapped out the wheat flour for spelt, reduced the sugar slightly, and used an unrefined version for good measure. Let’s get baking.

Place egg whites, cream of tartar and salt into the largest bowl you own — seriously — and with an electric hand mixer beat on high to soft peaks.

Reduce speed to medium and add remaining ¾ c sugar (150g) a tablespoon or so at a time, beating until the egg whites turn into stiff glossy peaks. Beat in lemon juice.

Sift over flour mixture (yes, sift again) in four batches, gently folding each batch in before adding the next. Spoon batter into an un-greased, not nonstick, two piece tube pan and zig-zag a knife through the batter in a to break up large air pockets — do not tap the pan on the counter or you’ll knock the air out of your batter.

Bake 35 mins until golden. Remove from oven and immediately invert pan over a bottle. Cool completely while upside-down, at least an hour, then run a knife around the side and centre to remove cake from pan.

I have to admit that I have never tried angel food cake – but this makes me really want to attempt one! The white fluffiness reminds me of the inside of a pavlova, so gorgeous. Love your plates as well 🙂

Ok I am going to attempt this! Never made Angel cake before but this looks so fluffffyyyyyy! I hear you on the raw eggs. I was given a raw egg milkshake almost every morning and quite developed a taste for it. Although I don’t think I could stomach it now lol.

Angel food cake was my favorite growing up! Always topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. This recipe is a must try for me! The healthier take is right up my alley. I’ve personally never made angel food cake but you’ve definitely given me the incentive to do so! xo, Jess